§ MR. ANDERSONasked the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works, If he is aware that Parliamentary powers have been granted to the South Eastern Railway Company respecting their bridge over the Thames at Charing Cross; and, whether these proposed works will encroach on the Embankment, and tend to spoil both that and Northumberland Avenue; and, if so, whether he proposes to ask Parliament to suspend its Standing Orders to enable him to repeal that legislation?
§ SIR JAMES M'GAREL-HOGGSir, the South-Eastern Railway Company promoted two Bills in the last Session of Parliament, which were opposed by the Metropolitan Board of Works, and considerably modified. One of the works comprised in the Bills was the widening of the railway near Charing Cross, which was required for the purposes of enabling the Company to carry their increasing traffic with public safety. The Board objected to this widening upon various grounds, one of them being that it would be objectionable with reference to Northumberland Avenue, and the Board suggested that the widening should be upon the Eastern or City side of the railway. Although Parliament did not adopt this view, the Bills, as passed into law, provided against any occupation of the land of the ornamental gardens, or of the Victoria Embankment roadway, and did not involve any works which might lead to public danger. Under these circumstances, the Board does not propose to ask Parliament to repeal that legislation.